Weekend Update #6

This week was an interesting one to say the least.  It started on the 4th, with the Greater Springfield Harriers 4th of July 5K.  This was the 39th year for this event, and I can remember running it in the 80s when it was a 5 miler sponsored by Third National Bank.  My plan for the day was to get in 7 miles as part of the Team RWB Eagle Charge, so in the evening, I drove to Stanley Park, and ran in the weekly 3 mile cross country race (then a one mile cooldown).  Last time I can remember running two races in one day was again in hte 80s, and it was the 4th of July races in Springfield & Hamden, MA.  Of course, I was younger and a lot faster then.

Tuesday, I worked with a couple of co-workers on their 1.5 mile speed, and Wednesday was an easy day.

Thursday, my planned workout was delayed by thunderstorms, so I had to improvise in between storms.  One mile warm-up (for the streak), then two 1/4 mile repeats.  My goal time to max my PT test will need to be 1:45/quarter.  I really wasn't sure if these old legs could go that fast, but I surprised myself by running both 1/4s in 1:39.

Friday was a recovery day, followed by my longest fun in two months on Saturday.  This was a confidence builder with only a week to go until my next half marathon.  Sunday was a "day of rest" with an easy 1.58 miles.  No progress check this week due to taking the day of from work on Friday.  Let's see what this week brings.

This week's updates:

Day #38 - 3.17 miles (26:10)
3.93 miles (36:31)

Day #39 - 2.72 miles (28:42)

Day #40 - 2.86 miles (30:30)

Day #41 - 2.03 miles (21:58)*

Day #42 - 3.65 miles (38:01)

Day #43 - 9.61 miles (1:40:10)

Day #44 - 1.58 miles (16:58)

Streak totals (thru 10 July):

Miles: 162.43

P/U:  845

S/U:  1060

Weekend Update #4

Running IS therapy.

When you're a runner, running is a coping mechanism that we can use to help with our feelings.  Whether it's anger, joy, or sadness, running is a great release.  Today was one of those days.  After 18 years, I had to say goodbye to a beloved pet (my cat Buster).  He was more than just a pet, he was part of my family (he was like a child).  So what do I do... try to return to normalcy by running a 3 mile cross country race.  Running was my therapy when I was young, and now in my second running life it has returned to fill that role again.

The race was good, and I was able to up the ante for each mile, and run negative splits (8:39, 8:34, 8:23).  I'm sure my little buddy was pushing me along the course.  RIP Buster, you will NEVER be forgotten.

This week's updates:

Day #26 - 1.95 miles (20:20)

Day #27 - 4.10 mile (45:43)

Day #28 - Progress Check

Abdominal Circ: 35  (max points)

Push Ups: 26 (up 1)

Sit Ups: 36 (down 2 - ran out of time)

1.5 Mile Run: 12:15 (30 seconds slower)

Composite Score:  94.0 of 100

Day #29 - 4.22 mile (42:21)

Day #30 - 3.02 miles (30:48)

Day #31 - 2.95 mile (25:15)

Streak totals:

Miles: 115.41

P/U:  621

S/U:  715

Weekend Update (week #3)

Where did the week go?  Has it really been a week since I last posted?

Well, here's my update for the week (days 17-23 of the streak)...

Monday... almost lost my hat on the run as it blew off my head and into the Ashley Reservoir.  Luckily it only made it about 2 feet into the water, and I was able to reach it.

Tuesday... ran with the "couch to 5K" group.  They are at 3 miles, while repeating 4 min of run to 1 min of walking.  Then did one mile to keep the streak alive

Wednesday... 80 plus degrees and I ran with Team RWB.  We were undecided between 4 and 5 miles, but once we were running we opted for 5 (There was more shade that we anticipated).

Thursday... a repeat of Tuesday.

Friday... weekly progress check for my fitness test.  Improved by 2.3 points.

Saturday... legs were tired from yesterday's hard run, but it still managed 3.5 miles.

Today... The 38th Annual JCC Father's Day 10K.  This is a race that I've done 5 of the last 6 years, and can remember running it back in the early 80s.  While my time wasn't the fastest, it also wasn't the slowest (actually 3rd best).  I was able to go out hard, and keep the pace for the first three miles, then the yard work from yesterday (specifically trimming the bushes) caught up with me.  Lesson learned:  If your arms are too tired (or sore) to pump, you're legs won't do the work by themselves.

This week's totals...

Day #17 - 4.75 miles (47:19)

Day #18 - 4.02 miles (45:57)

Day #19 - 5.04 mile (51:32)

Day #20 - 4.29 miles (48:49)

Day #21 - Progress Check

Abdominal Circ: 35.5

Push Ups: 25 (up 3)

Sit Ups: 38 (up 5)

1.5 Mile Run: 11:43 (3 seconds better)

Composite Score:  92.9 of 100

Day #22 - 3.65 miles (39:37)

Day #23 - 6.16 mile (51:57)

Springfield - 38th Annual JCC Father’s Day 10K

Streak totals:

Miles: 92.29

P/U:  495

S/U:  528

Run 2 Remember

Today, for the second year in a row, I took part in South Hadley's Run 2 Remember.  This race is held to benefit the city's veterans programs as well as the USO.

With most of my concentration having been on long "slow" distance runs, I was unsure how I was going to do in a 5K.  I wanted to push myself, and see how fit I am, as this is the beginning of the summer racing season.  The course is neither flat, nor hilly, it's somewhere in between.  Two down hills, and two uphills, none of which are steep, but the hill in the last mile is about a third of a mile.

I started out with what felt comfortable, and picked up the pace.  I wanted to run hard, but not burn out.  I passed mile one with a 7:27.  Better than I had expected.  Mile two, and another 7:27.  Now the uphill, and a flat finish.  Official finish time 22:39, but was it actually a 5K?  I looked at my watch and saw 2.98 miles, a friend of mine had registered 2.97.  OK, so it wasn't quite 3.1 miles... not quite a 5K.  On the bright side, I did run a 22:39, and that worked out to a 7:36... My fastest pace since the "Flat Fast Westfield 5K" that I ran in March 2013.  It was also a minute and a half faster than the same course last year.

Maybe all this distance running will pay off in the long run.


Today's totals  -  2.98 miles  /  450.31 total for the year

Western Mass Mother's Day Half Marathon

Last year, I was looking for a local half marathon, and came across the Western Mass Mother's Day Half in Whately, MA.  This run was so enjoyable, that I wanted to run it again this year (even if it's only been three weeks since Boston).

 The weather today couldn't have been much better... mid 60's and clear blue skies.  Luckily the race starts at 8:00 AM, when the sun isn't at its strongest.

My plan was to treat this as a long training run, and not try to push too hard.  That just wasn't going to happen today.  I ran the first mile (the only significant hill on the course) in 9:06.  The second mile was even worse with it's downhills.  I ran mile two in about 8:35.  Change of plans... keep the good pace for as long as I could.  What that meant was a few walking breaks between the 8 mile mark and the finish.  No problem.

One of the things that I like about this course is that it is completely in Whately and Hatfield.  Two picturesque small towns in Western Mass.  Most of the course is rolling hills.  We run through the Historic section of Whately, and past small horse farms as well as open fields that are being prepared for planting (maybe corn?).

The final mile and a half has two slight uphills.  The first goes by the East Whately Cemetery.  This is symbolic to me, because my 6th Great Grandfather is buried here.  The second "hill" is the overpass to interstate 91.  On the other side of the bridge is a downhill finish for the last tenth of a mile.

All-in-all it was a great day.  Unofficial time was 2:07:42.  Official time was slightly more due to the "chip start" not working, and all finish times were by the "gun time".


Today's totals  -  13.1 miles  /  423.37 total for the year.

Westfield Half Marathon

2014 Westfield Half Marathon T-Shirt

Today was the Westfield Half Marathon (formerly known as the Oleksak Half Marathon).  I've run this race the last three years, and love it.  This year, they decided to change the course.  The change was mostly to keep it in the Westfield city limits, and I for one like the change.  It starts off near downtown Westfield, heads out through some rural roads (aka hilly), and finishes with a five mile stretch that's mostly flat with a slight downhill.  This flat portion runs past Westfield State University, Stanley Park, and into the downtown area.

While the course was great, the weather left a little to be desired.  It was 41 degrees (with a 12 mph wind) at the start with a mist.  The mist never let up, and the temp only rose by about two degrees.  Fortunately it stayed a mist, and never developed back into rain.

Finishing the 2014 Westfield Half Marathon

As this was still a training run for Boston, we planned on a 9:45 to 9:55 pace (about a 2:09:30 for the half).  While this was a good plan, most races are usually faster than planned, and today was one of those days.  The first three miles were at a 9:15 pace, but everything felt good.  A 9:46 for the next mile (uphill), followed by a downhill portion at 8:44.  Kyle & I both kept the pace ad a brisk run in which we could still keep a conversation.  The last two miles of the half we were able to run at 9:05 & 9:03.  When the race was over I had 2:03:12 as an unofficial time (official "gun" time was 2:03:26).  Six minutes ahead of my projected time.


I can only hope that I'm ready for Boston, but today does give me a bit more confidence.

Today's totals  -  13.1 miles  /  316.96 total for the year

Holyoke St. Pat's

One of the sure signs of spring is the annual Holyoke St. Patrick's Road Race.  Usually run the day before the St. Patrick's Parade, the race draws a large amount of runners and spectators.  Today's run was the 39th annual, and it looked like the weather was going to put a damper on things.  The hour before the race, the skies were grey, and there were some showers.  The predicted 50 degrees looked almost out of the question, as it was barely 40.  As the runners lined up in the starting corrals, it became clear the the luck of the Irish was going to be with us.  With almost perfect timing, the skies cleared up, the sun was shining, and the temperature began to rise.

My schedule has me running a long run tomorrow, so I wanted to take it easy today.  I decided to think of this as a training run with 6,000 of my closest friends.  My friend Tom & I decided to run together.  He's recovering from an injury, so he didn't want to push too hard.  This turned out to be a great move for me, because we kept the pace to between 9:45 and 10:00.  Hopefully, this will leave me the energy I need for tomorrow.


Today's totals  -  6.20 miles  /  271.01 for the year.

Weekend Update...

What a great weekend!  Friday night, Bren & I headed down to Providence, RI for Saturday's St. Pat's 5K.  This is the second year that we took part in this race.  This is one of the few races in the area that gives a medal to all the finishers.  Last year I ran with Bren, so this year I wanted to push myself (especially since most of my training has been at a slower pace).


The weather was near perfect... sunny skies, 50 degrees, and just a slight breeze.  The race started, and because it's an out-and-back course, you're allotted the chance to see the lead runners as they're heading back from the turn-around.  As I passed the mile mark, I could see the leader on his way back.  It was Alistair Cragg (last years winner, and Olympic athlete).  At the point that we crossed, I was at 1.19 miles, and he was already at the 2 mile mark.  His finish time was 15:12, and he was more than a minute and a half ahead of second place... that's friggin' fast!

I ended up finishing 435th place (out of 2688) with a respectable time of 25:41.  Bren finished a little further back, but she finished and got her medal.


Today After our drive home, it was time for my long run.  The training plan had a 16 miler scheduled, but the course I mapped out ended up being a 14 mile route with hills.  The first 2.5 miles took me to the start line of the Holyoke St. Patrick's Day Road Race (which I'll be running on the 22nd).  From there, I followed the complete 6.2 mile course, hills and all, and a not-so-direct route back home.  The route home included a 3 mile hill (not steep, but it was 3 miles of an uphill grade).  Once I finished, I was spent for the day.  Time to lay on the couch and get ready for the Bruins game.  And yes, they won!!


Weekend totals  -  Saturday, 3.1 miles  /  Sunday, 14.1 miles  /  total for year, 221.67

40th Annual Jones Group Realtors 10 Miler

Race day.  Second race of the year, but while I'm training for Boston I want to be conservative with my races.  Today was a 10 mile race, and I set my goal pace to 9:30-9:45.  This course/race has been a standard for as long as I can remember, but this year they made a slight change to the start & finish lines.  With these changes, they also adjusted the first and last mile of the course.  As with any race changes, there are bound to be a few glitches, and the main one I saw was a bottleneck at about 1/2 mile, as we took a turn onto a street that was impeded by a large puddle on the left, and ice that stretched across the road.  Had they not changed the course, we wouldn't have turned at this road.

On the up side, I did like that new finish location.  In the past you would finish about 1/2 mile away from the start (and the parking area).  Then you would have to walk back to your car across sidewalks and fields that were sometimes water & mud covered.  Now the finish was about 10 yards away from the parking lot.  Easy access to the cars!!

As the race started, I knew that I would go out too fast, so I planned on it.  Run what felt comfortable until the two mile mark, and then THE HILL begins.  THE HILL is about a mile long, and climbs about 250 feet.  Once you hit the top of the hill you have a quarter mile, and you enter Shutesbury, MA.  For some reason, Shutesbury has chosen not to pave this road, and the next mile and a half is on dirt roads (some spots covered in ice).  This year, the conditions were just about perfect... not too much ice, and the road was just soft enough to give you a little cushioning.  It actually felt nice running in the "mud".  As you pass the six mile mark, you're pretty much home free, with just a couple of small hills left on the course.

As well as watching my pace, I was also watching my heart rate.  Everything went as planned, and when I finished, I had a time of 1:35:30 (9:33/mile).  Exactly what I had wanted.

Once I finished, I proceeded to do a two mile cool down.  Normally I'd be done with the 10, but my training plan called for 12 miles today.


Today's total  -  12.01 miles  /  152.44 for the year.

Two more races done...

… Or hard training runs?  It all depends on how you look at it.  After tweaking my hamstring on the May sixth, I’ve been cautiously picking the speeds at which I’ve been running.  I had two races on the calendar that I wanted to run, and I had already paid the entry fees, so away I went.

First up was at Holyoke Community College.  The HCC Cougar Crawl is for the college’s literacy programs, and takes place on the college campus.  For those that don’t know the campus, it’s got a “few” hills.  The course was confusing, with a lot of twists and turns (I think some people in front of me missed a couple and mad the course shorter).  For the amount of hills (and my heart rate) I ran a respectable 26:21 (8:29/mile).

Now as long as my leg held up, I could try and push the next race.  This was the 11^th Arterial Challenge in Humarock, MA, and benefits the Brain Aneurysm Foundation.  I’ve been going to the race/walk for 9 years now, and I’ve run for the past 7.  This is a cause that’s near and dear to me and my wife. 

My goal for the BAF race was to break 8:00 per mile.  It was conceivable, because this is a flat, fast course, with one small hill at the halfway point.  I ran a 7:48, and 8:00 for the first two miles.  I was on pace, but I was slowing.  Then, one of the other runners told me not to fade, and stick with her.  I did, she helped pace me to a 7:44 in mile 3, and I finished with a 24:21 (7:51).  This was what I wanted, and no pain after the race.

After the race, I walked about another quarter mile, took my shoes off, and stepped into the Atlantic.  The earliest that I can ever remember stepping foot into the ocean!

Now it’s time to start training for the Shipyard Old Port Half Marathon, but there’ll be several other races before that.

A First for Brenda

Another weekend, another run.  Saturday, Bren & I headed up to Kringle Candle in Bernardston, MA  for the 2^nd annual Kringle Candle Chase.  The race is a benefit for the Jill E. Harrington Hanzalik Memorial Fund. 

With me still trying to recover from Boston, I wanted a nice easy run, and knowing myself, if I ran at my speed, I’d probably run too fast.

So I talked Bren into running her first every 5K!!  Running & walking the whole way was enjoyable for me, and it felt amazing to be with my wife all the way.  We finished in 38:30, not bad for her first time!

After the race, we headed over to the Kringle Candle store, and proceeded to buy a few candles for the house.  Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

Holyoke St. Patrick's Road Race

This weekend started the spring race schedule for Western Massachusetts with the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Road Race.  An icon in the area for running, it’s one of the two “must run” races every year.  Now in its 37^th year, and bigger than ever.  Saturday afternoon, the race had a record breaking 6005 finishers for the 6.2 mile course, and the weather was nearly perfect… Overcast and about 50 degrees (the sun came out to play after the running was complete, and the festivities began.)

Now this year, I had conflicting thoughts on what I should set for a goal.  Should I try to beat my time from two years ago (was I ready for this), or should I pace myself for about a 9 minute mile?  As the start was approaching, I made the decision to just go with what feels good.

Many of my friends/co-workers were also running the race, so I started with a group of about 6, and with the crowds, that quickly faded to two of us.  By mile marker one, I was by myself (as far as knowing anyone around me).  My time was 8:36.  This is where the 2.5 mile uphill began, at mile two, I was still at a 8:39 pace, so I thought “let’s see if I can hold this until the top of the hill, and try for an 8:30 pace overall.

I actually picked-up the pace for mile 3 and 4, and now came the downhill.  I relaxed and let gravity help me (later to find that I ran mile 5 in a 7:22).  One more small uphill, and then it’s down until the finish.  I pushed the hill, and relaxed again.  Turning the corner to see the finish line with one more push into the finish.  As I neared the finish, I could hear names being called out over the PA system, and I heard my name.  The feeling was incredible.

My official finish time was 51:19.1 (8:16 / mile) – 4:15 better than 2010, and I finished 1429 out of 6005.

With another St. Pat’s Race under my belt, it was time for the post race festivities.  Erin go bragh.

Amherst 10 miler

Today was the 38th annual Jones Group Realtors 10 Mile road race.  This race is affectionately referred to as DH Jones for those of us who remember it from the 1980s.  Back then my target was always to try to break an hour.  I came close a couple of times, but never was able to break that barrier.  Usually after the race, my friends and I ended up with the "DH Jones Shuffle".  It was an unusual walk that resulted from the unrelenting uphills and downhills of the course.

Today was the second time running it in the last three years.  Unfortunately, my work interferes with a few of my weekends, and I missed it last year.

Today, I was running with Chris, a friend from work, and he & I established a goal of 90 minutes.  We usually train at about 9:30-10:00 per mile, so we figure 9:00 pace would be a good challenge.  It certainly was, especially with the hills.  My unofficial results were 1:30:08 (10.03 miles).  this was measured with my garmin, and gives us a 8:59 pace.  WooHoo!!  Of course the timing was not 100 percent accurate.  Chip timing was used, but only to mark your finish.  My official time was 1:30:25 for a 9:03 pace.  Sounds about right, around 15 seconds to cross the start line.

Our friends at Locally Run were there again to provide pictures of all the runners.  The website is a great source of running information for the Western Mass runner.

Here's Chris (114) & I (273) as we are about 1/2 mile from the finish line... it's all downhill from here!